(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Kane County's 16th Judicial Circuit has announced the rollout of a new DUI Problem-Solving Court as an alternative for nonviolent, repeat offenders.
“It's very easy for people to get a first DUI because they're making a mistake,” said Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser. “However, what we have also seen is that when a person starts to pick up multiple offenses, this is an issue.”
Mosser told WBBM jail time and prison sentences often don't address the root of the problem. Most cases, she added, end in someone getting back on the streets and committing the same crime again.
That's why the DUI Problem-Solving Court offers an alternative, including substance abuse counseling, weekly court check-ins and education programs.
“The people who go into this program, it's easier for them just to take a prison sentence and get out in a few months,” Mosser said. “This is a five-phase program that's going to last at least a couple of years, and it's intense. It means coming to court at least once a week. It means random alcohol and drug testing. It means treatment.”
Kane County Circuit Judge Rene Cruz will oversee the program, which he said is about holding individuals accountable.
“There are sanctions when things don't go as they should, and then there's rewards when things do go well,” he said. “We're trying to build individuals up.”
Offenders who plead guilty to the DUI felony will avoid prison time and have their charge reduced to a misdemeanor — assuming they successfully complete the course.
The court program is partly funded by a $130,000 grant through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Officials expect between 30 and 50 cases will go into the program in its first six months.
Related
Related
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!